When a Plague of Locusts is a Blessing (1 of 5)

From Mid-November to late December swarms of long-horned grasshoppers descend on North Kivu. Instead of fearing these green invaders, children, parents and grandparents alike search every nook and cranny to collect and then devour them. 

Mouths, caterpillars and larva are also consumed in North Kivu. Because of the high protein of insects in this protein deficient region of the world, insects provide a recess from chronic hunger faced by the majority of the local population.

Some ingenious Congolese erect large aluminum sheets with extremely bright lights that attract the insects and then funnel them into baskets where they are collected throughout the night.  In Butembo, North Kivu, a single trap can gather as many as 50 – 400 – 15,000 kilograms of grasshoppers in a single night. At $2 USD per kilogram this is a substantial income.